A recently translated book shows a combination of martial arts taught for Japanese police officers in 1888. It was translated by Eric Shahan, who specializes in translating 19th- and 20th-century Japanese martial arts texts.

Read the article on LiveScience. Samurai Secrets: 1888 Martial Arts Manual for Cops Revealed

I have to mention the caveat that I haven't read the book. On top of that, it would not strictly speaking be Bartitsu nor neo-Bartitsu, but a different branch that shares many similarities. The author calls it Kempo or "fisticuffs".

At the time, the samurai were in decline, and this book gathers self-defence techniques from 16 schools that would be most useful for a police officer who wore a sword as the samurai did.

There are clear jujitsu techniques, many of which found their way into Bartitsu, such as this chopper into a back-heel throw:

The book also includes ways of tying up a suspect to arrest them. And if the officer rendered the suspect unconscious, there are resuscitation techniques.

Thanks to our Major Wes for drawing my attention to the article.

In the introduction, a samurai named Ohara Shigeya gives advice to put it in context, as I encourage our students from day one: "Life is precious. One should walk the road of charity and benevolence. The crime should be hated, not the person." To protect oneself does not require causing unnecessary harm to the assailant.

Head of Stage Combat at Academie Duello and certified Instructor with Fight Directors Canada. Head of Bartitsu at Academie Duello, the longest continuously running Bartitsu program in the world.
Read more from David McCormick.